Shows
Oclef PodcastOclef Daily | EP91 - All Great Piano Teachers Possess This AbilityThis is a great episode to share with a piano teacher friend. Push Back. It's simple, yet powerful. Don't avoid confrontation with a parent - especially if what you are pushing back on something that is in the best interest of their child. Parents want the best for their kids, but sometimes they don't realize how to think or behave - they are usually new to learning piano, just like their child. Be you, Be what that child needs. The tortoise always wins, Julian
2019-01-1403 minOclef PodcastOclef Interviews | EP29 - Jon Nakamatsu - The Story of a Great American PianistLoved doing this interview with Jon! He's just a great guy and I enjoyed getting the chance, like with most guests on the podcast, to ask deep questions. Please share this with parents of piano students and other teachers or aspiring pianist. He has great insight in many areas and I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. Julian
2019-01-0947 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily | EP90 - Is there an end to piano lessons?Pain relievers like aspirin can be taken if you have a headache and usually within 15 minutes the headache is gone. But what if there were a product that made that headache go away and then come back in 7 days? Whenever I have new classes start I often get the question from parents…how long does it take to learn piano? And I used to think that was a really silly question. Simply because, well, I’m still learning piano. And I’ll probably be learning piano for the rest of my life. But lately...
2018-10-1302 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily | EP89 - The musician's mindsetYesterday I was working with a mother and her daughter and one simple piece of teaching advice left her speechless the second she tried it. This episode dives into the "Theory Theory" by Alison Gopnik and how it explains why the "Frozen Pencil" teaching technique works so well when teaching children to read piano. The tortoise always wins, Julian
2018-10-1004 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily | EP88 - You're more like a therapist than you want to believeToday's podcast goes into the challenging world of how we as teachers help our students navigate more than just their troubles and anxieties from learning. If you want your story or question on an upcoming episode - visit www.oclef.com/podcast and leave your story or question. The tortoise always wins, Julian
2018-10-0904 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily | EP87 - Kaizen and the perfection of pursuitIn the education world, teachers sometimes can be overly focused on the results and outcomes in competitions and tests. And the question I have is - “What mindset does that produce for students in the long run?” I leave you with an idea and three questions. The Japanese word Kaizen means "change for better". How do you create experiences for your students that help them change and acquire the values you believe in? How does extrinsic motivators and rewards like tests and competitions actually shape your students perspective - especially if they are their main focus? Do y...
2018-10-0303 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP86 - Small WinsTalking about how small wins not only motivate students but can motivate their parent coaches as they make their way on the long journey of learning music. How do you motivate parents? The tortoise always wins, Julian
2018-10-0103 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP85 - Knowledge vs. UnderstandingTrying a different format. Share it if you love it. The Tortoise always wins, Julian
2018-09-2906 minOclef PodcastOclef Q&A: EP011 - How can I instill a sense of passion into my child?Sample. Observe. Record. The child needs to sample a variety of activities and as their parent you need to be open and observant. Try to be as non-biased towards activities and you can. Watch them and record your observations about how they respond to these activities. Once you find the right one or two activities it comes down to you being passionate as the parent. Be as involved and helpful as you can. Ask the instructor what else you can do to help. Be there for the events and stay to help out the community. Show your passion and self-drive as...
2018-09-2603 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP84 - Educate Parents on the Value of PianoTodays episode is a follow up on the concept talked about in yesterday’s interview with Irina Gorin. She talked about “educating parents”. What she really means is show parents the value of piano and why they need to be involved and committed in the right way. Today’s episode talks about a personal story on how one of my students has allowed lessons from piano (curiosity, patience, persistence, creativity) to get him accepted into Stanford University. Learning piano is so much more than just music. Julian
2018-09-2507 minOclef PodcastOclef Interviews | EP28 - Irina Gorin - The Iconic Trailblazer in Piano TeachingShe's amazing. What else is there to say about Irina? :) Check out Tales of A Musical Journey and the rest of her work here - http://www.irinagorin.com/ Enjoy! Julian
2018-09-2357 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP83 - Recapping the Parent RecitalThey did it! Many parents loved the experience of preparing, learning and performing with their child. My main goal is really to help them get into the learning process with their child. To become part of the piano learning environment. Regardless of the result, they will gain confidence and more trust from their kids who are learning piano. As well as a better understanding for how it feels to learn piano. You should definitely try this event if you have a studio! Julian
2018-09-1806 minOclef PodcastOclef Interviews - EP27- Michelle Conda - A Leading Teacher of Piano TeachersThis interview is a wonderful conversation with Michelle Conda of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music (CCM). She's spent the last 25 years developing CCM as one of the top schools in the world to go learn how to teach piano. She has a talent for developing adults as teachers and in today's podcast she goes into The history of how she arrived where she is today Her views and stories on teaching adults Her overall direction as a world-class teacher in piano pedagogy and andragogy Hope you enjoy this one as much as I did. Ju...
2018-09-1544 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP82 - The Teaching WindowToday I dive into the idea of how learning happens. For me, learning happens through an input that I call a "window". The window opens from the student's connection with the teacher. But parents have such a stronger bond and larger window with their children than any teacher can even imagine. So as teachers working with students, we spend time asking students "How was your week?" and do whatever we can to bond with them. But the reality is that their parent will always have a larger window to e...
2018-09-1406 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP81 - Redefining Teaching RolesHave you ever considered getting your parents, of your students, to teach in the lesson? What skills do they actually need to know in order for the child to improve? With the Oclef Method we see the parent and child as a teacher and student team guided by the actual teacher. By redesigning the role of parents as a teacher, how will that impact students and their development? Try it. You may be surprised. The tortoise always wins, Julian
2018-09-1306 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP80 - Parent RecitalYep. I'm having parents play in a recital with their kids. The backstory really explains it all. But the main idea here is role shifting. As educators, find ways to get your parents into their role as a teacher of the child as we shift into the coach of the parent and child team. The tortoise always wins, Julian
2018-09-1205 minOclef PodcastOclef Q&A EP010 - How do I improve my sight reading?Great question! The standard answer would be for you to practice lower level pieces (i.e. level 3 if you’re level 5). And do that every day for about 15 minutes. It will improve as long as you’re consistent and patient. Try Rhythm books really help if you have a deficiency in rhythmic reading and patterns. I’m the video I’ve showed you an example of one and how to use it. Let me know if you have any additional questions. Good luck! The tortoise always wins, Julian
2018-09-1102 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP79 - Be weird. Be awkward. Be quirky. Be you.I've always thought this. Weird, awkward and quirky things about people are the best things. The best. But for whatever reason, I've only recently applied it throughout my teaching and consulting. I used to work with students and use archetypes to be more efficient in my teaching. Big mistake. Nowadays, it's all about finding the weirdest thing I can find about students and using that as their strength. Playing their unique traits and views as their strengths allows them to have a better outcome almost every time. It...
2018-08-2809 min2018-07-3004 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP78 - Tools of the Oclef Method: Priming, Narration, and FeedbackThis is an episode from our Oclef Method. It’s a series for parents wanting to help their children during practice. Find all the episodes for our methodology that teaches parents here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUqEmaLrf_Fs-Cvyk1HvOkA Guidance As a parent, you can help your child with this so much. Navigating a piece of piano music can be daunting. Two staves, multiple pages, hands going in opposite directions and that’s just the notes. As a parent who...
2018-07-2903 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP77 - Let progress reveal itself as independenceProgress We all want it. But should it be shown to parents as a sign of things going well? I used to think so, but I've gotten to the point now where I see progress as something that reveals itself. The whole music education infrastructure points to levels and method book with numbers. And everyone means well. But progress becomes obvious when it's actually happening. We don't need levels. Anyway, most exams test performance and not comprehension. Getting parents involved to the point where they see the s...
2018-07-2809 minOclef PodcastOclef Q&A: EP008 - How can I start learning piano at 16?Discipline. It’s the most important element you’ll need to confirm or solve for before moving forward. Don’t start looking for a piano or a Method book or anything until you figure out how you plan to be consistent. If you focus on all the tools of learning music and not focus on the way you will work (i.e. accountability and daily routine), then it won’t happen. Habits are the best things and the worst things. If you can get habits to work for you, then you...
2018-07-2502 minOclef PodcastOclef Q&A: EP007 - Can I teach my seven year old sister how to play piano by myself?“Can I teach my 7 year old sister how to play piano by myself?” - Peterson Normil Yes. Be consistent - practice 6–7 days a week for 10–15 minutes a day. Doing 1 day a week for 1 hour will not work out. Focus on reading- Get her several books (piano adventures, Alfred, Hal Leonard) and have her constantly focus on building a visual vocabulary of intervals. Reading by interval instead of note names will promote independence and also help her start with the right habits. She shouldn’t read by note names, although knowing the names of notes is important. Make it a bonding experience - F...
2018-07-2403 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP76 - Why radical candor is required when teachingHonesty It’s a desirable quality. But the funny thing is how people often consider that NOT saying something because it’s not positive, is a good thing. Radical Candor is one of the biggest changes and tools to my work as an educator over the last few years. Not saying something to a parent that is the truth and is hurting their child’s chance of success in music is ludicrous. Check out this podcast on how being candid with parents has made them trust me and list...
2018-07-2309 minOclef PodcastOclef Q&A: EP006 - What is your advice for someone just starting piano?Reading. My best advice for a student just starting piano, at any age (5–105) is to develop your reading ability. While you’re working on your reading here are two super helpful tips: Have a very diverse set of books to read from. Don’t stick to one book or one piece of music. Develop your ‘visual vocabulary’. Music is built from patterns and if you look, intervals (or the spaces between notes) are the building blocks of almost everything (chords, cadences, melody, counterpoint, etc.). Get very good at reading music by interval and you’ll start to see how music is assembled...
2018-07-1902 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP75 - Does musical talent exist?We posted a survey on our Instagram and got hundreds of responses. The question was: Does a student need musical talent to succeed in learning music? The audiences answer was a yes... 57% Yes to 43% No Any great teacher will tell you that the answer to that question is obviously no. That's an easy answer. So I guess I need to do a better job educating our IG community. But, I am at the point where I'm even questioning if musical talent exists. In this episode,
2018-07-1806 minOclef PodcastOclef Q&A: EP005 - I can play perfect during practice, but not in public. Why?I’ll answer in two areas: Headspace- mistakes in performance happen and they should be expected. You have got to start focusing on the characters and audience experience you reveal through the music. Music for me is a verb. It is the act of communicating stories, ideas and emotions through sound. A small blip in the screen during a movie goes unnoticed, so don’t worry as long as you’re passionately becoming the character. Practical - You need to be relentless and obsessive. I don’t know for sure, but you’re probably not practicing thoroughly. Talk about this...
2018-07-1705 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP74 - Fixing the fixed-mindsetWelcome to Season 6! I know I've been away for the last couple months and we have so much to share with you! This season will be about how to educate parents into becoming piano coaches and to help make sure their children are actually learning at home. Check out our new Oclef Methodology on YouTube and SUBSCRIBE :) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUqEmaLrf_Fs-Cvyk1HvOkA Also, check out all the music and fun happening on our Instagram page: www.instagram.com/oclef Today's episode is a...
2018-07-1609 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP73 - The external point of reference failThis is what could happen if a parent or teacher places a student's point of reference outside of themselves. Be careful with comparisons because it can spiral out of control if misplaced. Reach me at julian@oclef.com Follow us on instagram www.instagram.com/oclef
2018-05-1807 minOclef PodcastOclef Q&A: EP004 - Where can I buy a used piano?This is part of the collection of questions that I get so often. What's your advice on buying a piano? It's a very heavy question and I'm interested in developing a series within Oclef Q&A to teach parents about what they need to know. Would you be interested in content that answers these questions for parents or yourself? 1. Should I buy an acoustic or electric piano? 2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of new pianos versus used pianos? 3. When considering my budget, what are the price segments that I should c...
2018-05-1708 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP72 - The seeds of negativityThis is week six of the Seven Deadly Sins of Learning Music. It's an intro to negativity. Although it's not very common, it can become a very toxic habit. I have seen negativity develop from setting goals and status based on external forces. This is a very dangerous positioning that happens by accident sometimes and goes unnoticed. Later this week, I'll talk about how a parent pointed to the progress of other students as a motivational tactic for her own child. I'll talk about how that student spiraled out of control and eventually quit from a relentless at...
2018-05-1707 minOclef PodcastOclef Interviews | EP26: Dr. Joel Pierson - You Suck at PianoLast September I came across a campaign on Kickstarter. There was a guy selling a book called "You suck at piano". It was sort of an Anti-method book full of humor and randomness. And of course, I loved it. It's the only book I've ever found to include humor in music education. All jokes aside, Joel Pierson raised $85,000 in his first effort and on today's show he launched the next book. If you're interested - we're giving away 6 books for FREE. Yes, just comment on our Instagram page this week when we post about Joel. Winners will...
2018-05-1326 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP71 - Predictability ProblemsEasily one of the most common mistakes of students and parents is the topic of today's podcast - predictability. If students have the same predictable practice habits of playing their music pieces over and over from beginning to the end, recitals don't go so well. A recital performance is simply a mental "storm" and the music is a structure in the child's mind. They must develop the structure and foundation, preparing it by utilizing a diverse set of strategies, or the likelihood of it going well is very low. It may go well, but it probably will not. So i...
2018-05-0908 min2018-05-0307 minOclef PodcastOclef Q&A: EP003 - Why can't I tell the difference between electric, upright and grand pianos?Today's question comes from Sun Xexian. He asks why can't he hear the difference between types of pianos. I love this question because in a way, it's a win for instrument makers who are behind models like Yamaha N2 and other electric pianos. Another great example is my favorite tech-piano, the Steinway Spirio. That makes it so a real player piano can sound exactly like historic greats and living legends. Let's face it technology is greatly shifting the instrument maker world. Any questions, reach me julian@oclef.com. Thanks for sharing our show, it means a...
2018-05-0203 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP69 - 'Good enough' is no goodThis is week 4 of the Seven Deadly Sins of Learning Music. And for this week, we're discussing complacency. It's the idea that the student says, "that's good enough". I find this to be a habit that stunts the imagination and creativity as well as quality of learning. I really do everything I can to encourage curiosity. Where have you seen this in your students or children? Reach me at julian@oclef.com
2018-05-0102 minOclef PodcastOclef Q&A: EP002 - Where do pianists look when they play?This question comes from Ngachanyo Shimray and I just love it. It's an important topic in piano education, but almost never talked about after intermediate/advanced education. If you have a question and want to be on the show, reach me here: julian@oclef.com and visit our instagram to see all the fun that our community is having: www.instagram.com/oclef
2018-04-2702 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP68 - An announcement and our gratitudeHey listener friends! I just wanted to say that we are taking this week off of the podcast to prepare exciting news for all of you. If you do want to engage with us please check out: www.instagram.com/oclef We have exciting partnerships to announce with music education giants who have started to work with us. Stay tuned and thank you so much for helping us to grow! Julian Reach me at julian@oclef.com
2018-04-2602 minOclef PodcastOclef Q&A: EP001 - How long does piano take to learn?Claire asks how long does it take to become proficient at piano. Check out my answer to this common question. Follow us on instagram www.instagram.com/oclef Follow us on Quora http://bit.ly/2HW4N0M Do you have a question? Reach me at: julian@oclef.com
2018-04-2404 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP67 - Inconsistency in parentsAll this week we're talking about inconsistency and how it is one of the deadly sins of learning music. Today I wanted to shift the focus to parents and how 'inconsistency' in parent behavior is a huge cause of students lack of progress. It is on teachers to educate and empower their student's parents to know that they can help. Teach them rhythm, teach them reading, teach them consistency and you'll be shocked. Reach me at julian@oclef.com Instagram www.instagram.com/oclef
2018-04-2008 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP66 - Two steps forward and three backBefore today's show on the next of the Seven Deadly Sins of Learning Music we have an exciting announcement! We're launching a third podcast format called Oclef Q&A. We get so many questions each day and we want to start sharing our answers to those questions here in the podcast format. Reach us at http://bit.ly/2HW4N0M on Quora or www.instagram.com/oclef Thank you all so much for sharing our show and helping us grow!
2018-04-1909 minOclef PodcastOclef Interviews | EP25: El Sistema USA - Revolutionary Music EducationThis is Episode 25 of the Oclef Interview series. On today's podcast we have El Sistema USA Board member Christine Taylor and Executive Director Katie Wyatt. Find them at https://elsistemausa.org/ On Twitter: https://twitter.com/elsistemausa On Facebook: www.facebook.com/ElSistemaUSA On Instagram: www.instagram.com/elsistemausa/ Reach me at julian@oclef.com On Instagram www.instagram.com/oclef
2018-04-1753 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP65 - A story about confidenceIt's so important for us to help students become the truest version of themselves. Every chance I get I try to help them pivot and shift into the right direction. Today I wanted to share a story about a student and how she has transformed into a quiet, but confident person and how that changed her performance in music. Reach me at julian@oclef.com with your stories. I'd love to read them.
2018-04-1307 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP64 - Become the musicWeek 2 of the Seven Deadly Sins of Learning Music is about Detachment. This one is what happens when music is not music, because it's void of an emotion or idea. When students make this a habit during practice or performance it's a huge problem. The end result is unfocused practice and performance of a music-less landscape. Reach me at julian@oclef.com
2018-04-1105 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP63 - The Tortoise Always WinsToday I wanted to share a personal story of how one student and his mother chose impatience and short-term wins in learning piano and how that turned out for them. Long story short, a student who appeared "crazy talented" no longer takes piano anymore. Go for the macro values gained from learning piano, don't let impatience and short-term wins end your child's development. Comments or questions? Reach me at julian@oclef.com Catch us on instagram at @oclef or #SDSLM (Seven Deadly Sins of Learning Music)
2018-04-0607 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP62 - The impatience side effectMy current hypothesis is that impatience is a side effect which becomes a habit. As educators, we need to be very aware of how we guide, help and observe students. 1. Define the game: Set expectations 2. Teach the tools. Test the tools. 3. Observe the gaps. Reach me for questions or comments at julian@oclef.com Instagram at @oclef or #SDSLM (Seven Deadly Sins of Learning Music)
2018-04-0408 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP61 - A study in impatienceThis is part of the seven deadly sins of learning music. A new series we're running on the Oclef Podcast. If you didn't catch the season opener, go back and check it out for the backstory of how this came about. Each week I'll go through one of the things holding your students back from improving. 1. Impatience You must be patient. Impatience is one of the main causes of failure and mistakes. Especially in music. Post on Instagram about this topic with #SDSLM (Seven Deadly Sins of Learning Music) Would love t...
2018-04-0306 minOclef PodcastSeason 5 Introduction - The Seven Deadly Sins of Learning MusicI'm back from Bali! The trip has really helped me to recover and reignite myself for all the upcoming work that we're doing at Oclef. Here's a photo that really encapsulates the trip: http://bit.ly/2q0UIrO Thoughts? Know someone who should be a guest on the show? Reach me at julian@oclef.com
2018-04-0207 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP60 - Swimming without a life jacketTry it. Swimming with a life jacket is really hard, almost impossible to get anywhere. But if you have a top lifeguard watching you and teaching you strokes, you can learn how to swim much better. Why is piano teaching any different? Reach me at julian@oclef.com
2018-03-1504 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP59 - MilestonesPushing students to stretch in piano is a great way to help them grow. But recently, I learned about how important it is to have milestones or markers along the way. These can be obvious like recitals, tests and competitions or they can be less obvious. Like learning all your notes on flash cards, not having to have mom ask you to practice for two weeks in a row, or playing a quartet on the piano with friends. And today we're launching Oclef Classical on Apple Music. It'll be a frequently updated playlist of music to educate...
2018-03-1404 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP58 - Music testing exposes characterIt’s all about character. The values and habits that I hope to instill in students are, to me, more important than how well they play a crescendo. But in reality, behaviors and habits are extremely tough to guide only seeing students once or twice a week. That’s why parents are so important. And as tests or recitals come, we can really see what students are made of and how they react to pressure and challenges - that’s the value of tests for me. Reach me at julian@oclef.com
2018-03-0903 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP57 - Tricks versus skillsAlert! Your child or student may not actually know what they're playing. There's a really easy way to check, but without checking it's almost impossible to notice the difference. Just ask them to start from anywhere. Pick a random spot in the music and if they aren't able to figure out the hand position, note, rhythm and start, there's an issue. Comprehension is usually the biggest problem for beginners and the smarter they are, the more they compensate and the harder it is to catch. Reach me at julian@oclef.com if you need any he...
2018-03-0705 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP56 - Practicing versus playingEvery music teacher can spot it. The student who has "practiced" all week by playing their music over and over. What they don't know and their parent doesn't know is that doing that is often worse than not practicing at all. It develops bad habits and there actually isn't any growth. It's like playing a game of pick up basketball or tennis with a friend. It's fine to do, but doing it every day won't help you to improve. Educate and share this with your parents. Reach me at julian@oclef.com
2018-03-0604 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP55 - Become the musicBeing vulnerable as a performer is so important and helping kids build the confidence to become the music is a huge challenge. But we gotta do it. Reach me at julian@oclef.com
2018-03-0602 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP54 - Oclef is now down underFor me, it's the two or three emails/messages I get each week from users or listeners that really means a lot. I recently received a message from one of our listeners in Australia and she convinced me to push the Oclef app to Australia. So as of yesterday, we're available to download down under. Feel free to reach out julian@oclef.com
2018-03-0302 minOclef PodcastOclef Interviews | EP24: Nahre Sol - The amazing practice video pianist and composerI'm such a fan of Nahre. You have to check out Nahre's videos and pages if you aren't already following her online. She has amazing skills as a creative video creator, practicer, and pianist-composer. In the episode, Nahre and I go deep into a conversation on a variety of topics and if you're a piano teacher or parent, this one will be very helpful to you. You must follow this super talented and hard-working star: www.facebook.com/practicenotes Instagram: @nahresol Web: www.nahresol.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com...
2018-02-2847 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP53 - Programming repertoire and learning formatsIt's our diet. Music repertoire selection is potentially more important than anything in my view. Selecting the wrong piece may end a student's learning of piano if they're already at the edge. As educators, we have to really take care when selecting pieces for students. What are your strategies? More pieces with lower difficulty or just 3 pieces with high difficulty? Do you allow 2 years for them to learn or do you ask them to finish pieces monthly and weekly? Reach me at julian@oclef.com
2018-02-2604 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP52 - Reach the emotional centerThere are two brains in everyone and trying to convince the rational brain in students is not the way to go. Make sure the rational brain understands what you want to happen and then drill into the emotional brain so that students dream of greatness and are motivated to succeed.
2018-02-2202 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP51 - How do you do health?Just talking with my wife the other day, who had a facial, I’m now learning the importance of sweating. As educators, do you supplement your day with fitness? Do you exercise to help you stay in shape for the 7, 8, 10, 12 hour teaching days in doors and sitting down? Reach me at julian@oclef.com
2018-02-2001 minOclef PodcastOclef Interviews | EP23: Adriana Linares - Wearing many hats in musicSo excited to share this interview with one of the top influencers in music. Adriana wears many hats and yet she still manages to fulfill all her roles in music. Enjoy!
2018-02-1849 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP50 - The bigger concepts are leadingTomorrow's episode is an interview with Adriana Linares who has incredible ideas on connecting. I just wanted to take today to remind you all how important the larger concepts are behind music education. For the note police and hand-position-obsessed, don't listen to this episode. The less I teach piano, the more students and parents are attracted. It's the bigger long-term lessons that count more.
2018-02-1602 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP49 - A reflection on the shooting at StonemanThis is a personal reflection on the events that occurred at Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14, 2018.
2018-02-1503 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP48 - Meditation for childrenMinds race. But there is an answer to calm the mind. Meditation is as real and helpful as diet or exercise (which used to also be considered unimportant). Meditation for children should be a regularly scheduled activity. The best part? It's only 10 minutes. And the results are massive. Try it for a month and just watch how your children begin to deal with stress differently. Reach out to me if you're an educator who does this, we'd love to have you on the show - julian@oclef.com
2018-02-1404 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP47 - The Magic FormulaCuriosity, patience, and persistence. That's it. Just find any student with those three qualities or variations of those, and learning will be magical. I've found that amplifying these three qualities has become the way I turn average or non-talented students into superstars. A student who is not willing to give up when solving a problem and who will be aggressively curious until they figure it out will appear talented. Recently I've just started telling parents who audition that I'm looking for these qualities and if your child doesn't hold them at the moment, make those the focus...
2018-02-1304 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP46 - Helping Teenagers SucceedIt's something I hear often and I know other educators hear this as well. "Thank you for helping my son/daughter, they are so lucky to work with you and learn from you." I do everything I can to help high school students stand out and raise their status. Help them get performances, great paying jobs, internships or run great projects. It's important. And we have to make it a priority because it matters. Let me know your stories of how you helped students - julian@oclef.com
2018-02-1202 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP45 - Build a tribe and shape perspectivesOver the last 3 years, I've been obsessed with the development of a group piano class I've designed. What I'm seeking in each class are three things: 1. Building a tribe - Creating the right culture that encourages everyone to sync to one another, learn openly and support each other 2. Parent education - Although intuitive, some parents habits in the practice sessions could shut down a child and my job is to always enhance their abilities to make practice time productive. 3. Joy - I think "magic" and "Joy" needs to be connected to music at...
2018-02-1005 minOclef PodcastOclef Interviews | EP22: Lisa Bastien - Continuing and innovating the Bastien MethodologySeveral months ago we had Lori Bastien on the show and now I'm so excited to have Lisa on the show. I'm actually in New York for this one and was lucky enough to have the opportunity to visit her flat where she teaches and composes. The Bastien family is legendary in the music education space, but these days Lisa, Lori and Jane are coming out with an app and launching new books. The methodology is available on Amazon. Check it out here: http://amzn.to/2GYbw9X
2018-02-0946 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP44 - Mr. Julian said...We all have a few of them. Stubborn kids. I was one of them! The trouble is for those who practice, their parents are trained to help and disciplined about practice - the very last step is collaboration. Sometimes it doesn't happen because the student thinks they know more than their parent. And they probably do on most things, but not so often on practice strategies. Anyway, I think I've solved this issue with the following phrase, "Mr. Julian said..." Try it and let me know. Email me at julian@oclef.com
2018-02-0802 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP43 - Dance like a rock starPeanut Butter and Jelly. Tom and Jerry. Music and Dance. They just go together so perfectly. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to have one student dance while another played and magic filled the room. It's these beautiful moments in education that so often define relationships and perspectives for students and parents. What stories do you have? Reach me at julian@oclef.com
2018-02-0702 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP42 - Parents as peer learnersOne of the biggest things I hear from parents who help their kids, "I don't know if he/she is playing the music right. I don't know music." For me, if they're willing to get into the sandbox with their child, more than half of the work is done. I educate parents step by step and we will start to do this more on YouTube. Check out our channel www.bit.ly/2FSOksp
2018-02-0604 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP41 - The non-talented starsWe all have them. They are some of our highest points of pride. The students who have achieved excellence, but weren't gifted with musical aptitude. They were gifted with a focus, a patience, and commitment to hard work year after year. I'm convinced that these are the pride and joy of almost every teacher, not the talented students who get it right away - the struggle is the happiness.
2018-02-0503 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP40 - Training independent thinkingThis is a big one. Blindly following someone or copying what they do is never a good thing. As professionals, we all know the value of independent thinking. But how did we get that way? I think it starts from childhood. Everyone has a responsibility to develop this skill in children - Educators, Parents, Administrators, and EdTech.
2018-02-0404 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP39 - Practice ReflectionDo. Reflect. Change. Music is mental practice and a mental discipline. It's not pushups. Just because your child is sitting at the piano and playing doesn't mean they're practicing piano. Sit with your child and help them develop a mental feedback loop.
2018-02-0303 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP38 - I love pianoThis is the sentence that every parent hopes for. "I love piano." It's a beautiful thing to watch kids find joy in the activities that we know help to build them up. In this episode, I highlight three ways things that you may do to make your kids dislike piano: 1. Practice at the wrong time 2. Chase perfection blindly 3. Practice for too long This is mostly geared for young students and new beginners. Though these are mistakes that happen at every level - so watch out.
2018-02-0204 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP37 - Winners vs. LosersFor students, I'm constantly driving home the concept that circumstances are circumstances and that it's their responsibility to get over what the situation is and overcome any challenge. Personal accountability and perseverance to achieve goals thought to be unattainable is the formula for grit and confidence in my opinion - and I want my students to have a ridiculous amount of both. Excellence doesn't happen by accident.
2018-02-0103 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP36 - Listen for the root of all problemsAbout 2 or 3 times a year, I help out friends who need a substitute and I always learn sometime from the experience. Usually, one problem or issue is the root cause of many of the mistakes we make.
2018-01-3104 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP35 - Family PortraitAs piano teachers and music educators, I'm continuously realizing how important we are to the students that we teach and their development. Learning happens through strong relationships and trust built over time.
2018-01-3002 minOclef PodcastOclef Interviews | EP21: David Asher Brown - A talk with the Founder of PianoCub on music educationReally enjoyed the chance to catch up with a friend from college, David Asher Brown. He's improving a variety of music education challenges at the moment, including online music education videos and curriculum with his company - www.PianoCub.com. Listen to this interview episode.
2018-01-2941 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP34 - What's a Bass Clef?Parents, please watch out if you're starting with a new teacher. This is not uncommon. I met with a student yesterday, 8 years old, he's taken piano lessons for a year, they don't know what a bass clef is and have no idea of any of those notes. They learned treble clef only. What is going on?
2018-01-2703 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP33 - Soft skills learned from pianoIt's been an amazing time for music education and over the next few years, I'm so excited to see how the explosion of music education growth in the Bay area and in China continue to lead the market's pattern of personalized education through music. Soft skills like problem-solving and pattern-recognition are becoming are everything.
2018-01-2603 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP32 - Is 2 years old too young?I just got a call today asking about lessons for a 2-year-old. My response, "You mean the number after 1?" Does anyone out there actually teach 2-year-olds music or is it more about play and discovery?
2018-01-2502 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP31 - I am a cognitive architectThe lessons learned from music are more important than the music itself. Patience, persistence, pattern-recognition, empathy, problem-solving, communication, details, big-picture, creativity, hard work, focus - those are the real gems of music education. Not playing a piece perfectly. My job is to make those lessons the true takeaway.
2018-01-2403 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP30 - The real piano lessonI am obsessed with the ideas and skills learned from music and want those to be acquired by students. The details matter, the big picture matters, patience and persistence matters, communication matters, creativity matters, empathy matters - All of that matters more than playing piano pieces perfectly.
2018-01-2403 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP29 - There's always moreGetting better at something doesn't mean mistakes disappear. So the real trick is to fall in love with the struggle, mistakes, and frustration. Learn to love the pain of learning, it's the best thing I've learned from music.
2018-01-1902 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP28 - Reading is keyWhy does sight-reading account for such a small amount of practice and lesson time? What if sight-reading was more than 50% of the time early on for piano education? Growth and development would be slow in the beginning, but it could be 100x the rate of development in later years simply because the students could be more efficient, learn faster and expose their minds to more music.
2018-01-1803 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP27 - Cultivating creativityCan creativity be learned? How important is music in helping students to develop their creative skills? This is a follow up after talking with creative composer Christopher Norton.
2018-01-1702 minOclef PodcastChristopher Norton - The world's top Jazz and R&B music education composerThis is a big episode to kick-off season 4 of the Oclef Podcast. We are so excited to bring this episode to listeners. I hope you enjoy listening to this interview with the world's top Jazz and R&B composer for music education. I'm so grateful to have the chance to talk with Christopher Norton.
2018-01-1638 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP26 - Seven lessons a weekThis is most likely the last episode of Season 3. We are so excited to announce the new season of the Oclef Podcast which will feature interviews with Christopher Norton, Adriana Linares, David Brown, Lisa Bastien and Phong Le (Oclef co-founder). Stay tuned for an interesting season full of interviews with the top music educators on the planet and daily music education podcasts. We love our MusicEd community! Thanks for all your support, listening and for sharing our content.
2018-01-1503 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP25 - You are a role modelAs most teachers do, I take my role as a mentor and role model very seriously. I think children see our actions and learn from how we do things.
2018-01-1504 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP24 - Learn an instrument in 2018After questions on practicing and pieces, this is the most common parent question. "Is it too late for me to learn piano?"
2018-01-1302 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP23 - Reflection after meeting with Lisa BastienI just had a great meeting and podcast chat with Lisa Bastien. Will be published later this month.
2018-01-1201 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP22 - Pressure creates diamondsIt's all about the climb, the struggle, and the patience when learning. Promoting that mindset.
2018-01-1102 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP21 - Pain + Reflection = LearningI talk about my favorite face that students make in this one.
2018-01-1002 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP20 - Improvising on a carolChristmas is happening. Just wanted to share a carol. Cheers and seasons greetings!
2017-12-2201 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP07 - Falling in love with the climbI'm obsessed with the process of growing and improving and helping others to do that. In this episode, I talk about being self-aware and how I've noticed that I tend to be disinterested in things once they are completed. This is why I walked away from my concert musician career as it was approaching 100+ concerts per year. Help your students find passion in the climb and the process of learning, not the event or the goal at the end. Perfection would leave us empty. Julian
2017-12-0403 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP06 How to use Facebook Ads to attract new studentsThis works if you do it right. And comparing the lifetime value of a student to the cost of the ads makes it an obvious move. Feel free to reach out to me at julian@oclef.com if you need any advice or help to set this up. I'm happy to help fellow music teachers grow their studio. Julian
2017-12-0302 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP05 - An improv exerciseAn improv exercise to help your students get started on creativity. This podcast will also be available on our page at Anchor.fm/education Visit that link or download the app. We'd love to hear you call into the podcast and will feature your thoughts and ideas on things we talk about on the show. Julian
2017-12-0201 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP04 - The world will come to youOn our new podcast, Oclef Daily, we plan to push new episodes every day on topics from child development, to piano parent advice and music education. This podcast will also be available on our page at Anchor.fm/education Visit that link or download the app. We'd love to hear you call into the podcast and will feature your thoughts and ideas on things we talk about on the show. Julian
2017-12-0104 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP02 - A way to improve your earsOn our new podcast, Oclef Daily, we plan to push new episodes every day on topics from child development, to piano parent advice and music education. This podcast will also be available on our page at Anchor.fm/education Visit that link or download the app. We'd love to hear you call into the podcast and will feature your thoughts and ideas on things we talk about on the show. Julian
2017-11-2503 minOclef PodcastOclef Daily: EP01 - Gratitude is everythingThis is the first episode of our new Oclef Daily podcast. We plan to push new episodes everyday on topics from child development, to piano parent advice and music education. This podcast will also be available on our page at Anchor.fm/education We'd love to hear you call into the podcast and will feature your thoughts and ideas on things we talk about on the show. Julian
2017-11-2503 min